DIGNITY: Tribes in Transition

This exhibition by photographer, Dana Gluckstein captures the fleeting period of world history where traditional and contemporary cultures collide. The black and white portraits of Indigenous Peoples pay homage to these imperiled culture signaling our collective interdependence and fragility. Nobel Laureate Archbishop Tutu, in the exhibition wall text states, “The Indigenous Peoples of the world have a gift to give that the world needs desperately, this reminder that we are made for harmony, for interdependence. If we are ever truly to prosper, it will be only together.”

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.

Whether you go or not, DIGNITY: In Honor of the Rights of Indigenous Peoplespresents this collection of iconic photographs by Dana Gluckstein, honoring Indigenous Peoples worldwide and celebrating the 50th Anniversary in 2011 of Amnesty International, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights organization. With more than ninety exquisite black-and-white portraits spanning three decades, this richly printed coffee table gift book succeeds in distilling the universality of experience that links us all yet never sacrifices the dignity of the individual. Whether photographing a Haitian healer or a San Bushmen chief, Gluckstein infuses each portrait with an essential human grace. DIGNITY’S power, artistry, and impassioned call to action make it a historic book in support of Indigenous Peoples who are among the world’s most impoverished and oppressed inhabitants. The inspirational text is intended to give a fuller awareness of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples adopted in 2007 by 144 countries. The declaration is the most comprehensive global statement of the measures every government needs to enact to ensure the survival, dignity, and well-being of the Indigenous Peoples of the world. DIGNITY includes the full text of the declaration. Gluckstein’s striking portraits illuminate this vision.